“Bachelor Pad” Is “The Real World” Meets “The Bachelorette”

I’m still not exactly sure how ABC milks the not-all-that-much-that-happens in a week on “The Bachelor” and “The Bachelorette” and makes it into a two-hour episode. But they do—and it’s highly entertaining. So what would happen if the network rounded up some of the top personalities from all the seasons of the show and had them live together in a house, “Real World”-style, to find out what happens when they stop being polite and start getting lovey-dovey? Hopefully, television magic because our Amelia is already pissing her pants with excitement, as this is the concept of the new series “Bachelor Pad.” The show started filming this week and will go for the next 15 days. It’s hosted by, duh, Chris Harrison along with Melissa Rycroft, who became one of the show’s most-beloved contestants when Jason Mesnick ditched her on national TV in favor of runner-up Molly. In addition to the chance to find love with a fellow cast-off, the contestants in the series will also be participating in assorted challenges. The winner of the show will get $250,000. [People]

The series doesn’t premiere until August 8, but already several sites have posted partial casts lists. Read on if you’d like to know who is on them.According to the sites Reality Steve and Astro Chicks, the cast is heavy on contestants from the last few seasons—which makes sense because we can still remember their names and they haven’t been off the show long enough to fall in love with someone else yet. From Jason’s season, we’ll have Natalie Getz and Nikki Kaapke. From Jillian’s season, adorable Kiptyn Locke will be back along with Dave Good, John Hardesty, Juan Barbieri, and Mathue Johnson. Oh and Wes Hayden, the one who was so proud to have gone on the show with a girlfriend, will be on, too. Yuck.

A ton of former Jake groupies will be in the house, including Jessie Sulidis, Valishia Salvage, and Elizabeth Kitt. And I’m very excited that the top two ladies he didn’t pick—Tenley Molzahn and Gia Allemand—will be on the series. Interesting that there’s even some Ali cast-offs in da house—Craig McKinnon, Jonathan Novak, and the guy with potentially two girlfriends. Justin Rego. I guess we know now that they aren’t going to win Ali’s heart.

The only old-schooler announced so far on the show is Gwen Gioia, who vied for the heart of Aaron during season two of the show.